Twenty Flowers and the Memories of Them
by MissMarquin
Summary: Flowers can mean a lot of things. Questions, intentions, but most importantly- Memories. Otayuri, oneshot.


_A/N: There was a picture floating around facebook, detailing 'flower asks'. And, well. Enjoy._

* * *

**_Twenty Flowers and the Memories of Them_**

Otabek is a sap when it comes to things, but Yuri loves it.

He's tired and aching, and his students are fucking stupid. But when he walks into their small apartment, to find a bundle of flowers in a jar, he smiles. He doesn't need a note. Beka has explained more than enough times his stupid obsession with flowers and the questions they can ask.

His fingers touch a leaf lightly, and he leans over to smell them.

"Yura," Otabek says from behind him. Yuri turns to find him in a towel, dripping wet. Otabek pulls him close, kissing his lips lightly.

"What are these for?" Yuri asks.

"No reason," Otabek says. "Just memories."

Memories indeed.

* * *

_Rose_

"Hey Beka."

The man in question hums lightly, but doesn't look up from the bike that he sits before. He's sprawled out on the ground before it, surveying it with a critical eye. Yuri watches from the workbench. Otabek takes a socket wrench, muscles bulging slightly with effort as he works at the screw. Yuri keeps watching, swallowing thickly. He blames the hot garage air.

"What's your crush like?" He finally asks.

Otabek drops the tool, hissing slightly in surprise. Yuri blinks at that, but his friend recovers immediately, the wrench twirling about deftly between his fingers. "They're a little hot-head," Otabek says, as he moves to pull at another part of the bike. Yuri is about forty-percent sure that it was the engine, but _what the fuck does he know about motorcycles?_ "More bark than bite though, ad I've learned over the years. And beautiful."

"And let me guess," Yuri intones, bored, "They don't know it, right?" Isn't that how romance always works?

Otabek snorts at that, the closest thing to a genuine laugh Yuri would ever get. "_No._ Trust me, they absolutely know."

Yuri thinks on that for a long moment, and then says, "Sounds like someone I'd get along with."

By the time Otabek looks up from his work, Yuri's already lost interest in the idea, and he misses how the mechanic regards him with the _utmost_ fondness.

_Cherry Blossom_

It isn't the first rom-com that Otabek and Yuri have ever watched, and it certainly isn't the last. This night is like any other. Beka leans against one arm of the couch, and Yuri across the entire thing, his long legs stretched across the other man's lap. Otabek holds Yuri's ankles in a loose grip unconsciously. Yuri eats popcorn noisily, but Otabek doesn't. He only watches him. He watches Yuri, more than the movie itself.

Yuri never notices.

"That's so stupid, Yuri says around a mouthful of food. He gestures wildly at the screen. "Who the fuck believes in love at first sight?"

Otabek does. Otabek does, because he's a living example, not that he'll ever let Yuri know. Instead, he grunts his customary grunt, squeezing the soft skin of Yuri's leg gently.

"Yeah, who would ever?"

_Daisy_

Yuri tries not to think of his younger days, because those days fucking suck. He remembers Otabek though, and those memories aren't so terrible.

He remembers a stocky boy stumbling around like a blundering fool. Unable to hold basic forms, little-to-no flexibility to speak of. Yuri favors this memory because it's funny- it's funny to remember the determined look on Otabek's face, and how it belied the strain on his ill-suited-for-dance of a body.

As an adult though, he's grown _fond_ of it. It's when Otabek first saw him, first _noticed_ him. The whole _Eyes of a Soldier thing_ was pretty endearing.

And of course, Yuri is fucking smug about it.

_Daffodil_

Yuri doesn't often dress up, because it's _extra work_. Otabek relishes the rare moments when he does though, because Yuri goes to the fucking nines.

"Beka, will you help me with this tie?" Yuri asks, storming out of the hotel bathroom in a whirlwind. Otabek turns, only to freeze to the spot. Looking, just _looking_, taking in the sight of Yuri in a deep burgundy button down. Yuri's lips pull into a tight frown as he fumbles with the white bow tie.

"Fucking ties," He murmurs, and then he repeats, "Beka." Yuri looks up. "I asked- why are you staring?"

Otabek snaps his mouth shut and steps closer, trying to play it cool. He pulls Yuri's hands from the tie, fixing it easily. "It's a good color on your," he says simply. His fingers ghost over the skin of his neck, pulling here and sliding the fabric through there. "Caught me off guard."

When he's down, Yuri fingers the shirt nervously, but smiles back.

_Peony_

"Telling the truth is fucking boring," Yuri groans, leaning long the couch.

Otabek is sprawled across the floor, trying to hook up a gaming system. Even as a DJ extraordinaire, was was clueless when it came to most other electronics. He stares at the pile of wires and controllers and plugs with a severe frown.

"Don't be silly, Yura," he says, moving to untangle a pile. "It's basic manners."

"You know better than anyone that I don't have fucking manners." Yuri pauses. "Except with you. I'm nice to you." Another pause. "If it's your story, fucking embelish it. Honor and glory, and all that shit. Don't you want to seem _impressive_ to others?"

"Do you lie to me?" Yuri knows that Otabek is only teasing him, but his heart jerks slightly. Because there are things that Yuri feels and Otabek doesn't know.

"No," Yuri finally says. "But I've made a habit of lying to myself, I guess."

_Iris_

"I asked what your favorite song from the nineties is."

"And I answered."

"_I'm In Love With My Car_, by Queen isn't the fucking nineties, Beka."

Otabek smiles. "The nineties was a terrible era of music, so I prefer to ignore it."

Yuri rolls his eyes in response.

_Sunflower_

"Why the moon?"

Otabek considers Yuri's question for a moment, and then says, "It reminds me of someone."

"That mysterious crush of yours?" Yuri teases. "All beautiful and that shit?" They're laying in the grass of some park, on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, and Yuri doesn't see Otabek smile wryly.

"That's not really why, Yura."

"Eh?"

Otabek thinks again for a moment. "You know how the moon pulls at the tides?"

"Yeah, gravity and shit."

"Well, this person pulls at me, and no matter what, I find myself always going back to them."

Yuri gives him a sideways glance. "Beka, I'm literally the only person you hang out with. I feel bad for whoever's heart your breaking."

Otabek hums in response, looking back to the night sky. Yuri doesn't quite get his silence.

_Narcissus_

"Yakov wants me to cut my hair."

Otabek isn't surprised, but Yakov was a bit traditional in the end all of things. Yuri hasn't cut it in years, and it falls limply around his mid back. He reaches out, grasping the ends in his fingertips. "Will you?"

"Fuck that shit," Yuri spits. "It's my favorite part of me."

"Same," Otabek says, reaching to brush his bangs back.

Yuri's expression softens.

_Freesia_

It's been a long day of competition, and they've forgone the partying afterwards. Yuri hisses as he pulls his foot out of an ice bath. Otabek takes it gently, pulling it into his lap. Wordlessly, he massages the skin and applies ointment to any scrapes and cuts. He avoids bruises and moisturizes the cracked skin.

"Hey Beka," Yuri says, and Otabek hums in response, like he often does. "You'll always be my best friend, right? Like this'll never end will it?"

Otabek fucking hopes not, but the future is never certain. Still, he replies with, "Of course it won't. I'm yours forever, Yura."

Yuri tries not to look pleased by the words.

_Orchid_

"Jesus fucking christ," Yuri mutters, and Otabek looks up at him. He's struggling with a peach, his fingers covered in the slick juice as he peels it carefully. When he takes a bite, it dribbles down his chin. Yuri's tongue snakes out, licking it up and-

Otabek looks away quickly. He can _feel_ his face burning red. He's _mortified_.

He also comes to the conclusion that peaches are now his favorite fruit.

_Violet_

"Kissing is overrated."

Otabek blinks at Yuri. "Have you ever kissed anyone?"

Yuri scoffs. "Of course I have. Never impressed by it."

Before Otabek can respond, Victor butts his unwanted nose into the conversation. "Probably because you're kissing the wrong person," he says, leaning over Yuri's shoulder.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Yuri snaps, pushing Victor away.

But Victor only laughs, winking at Otabek.

_Alstroemeria_

"Let's go back to Barcelona," Otabek says one night.

Yuri grunts softly, snuggling into his side, muttering about how sore he is from skating that day. Friends don't do this, Otabek thinks. Not even best friends- but best friends who love each other?

More likely. And so- "You heard me," Otabek says, nudging him gently. "Let's take a vacation."

"Why Barcelona?"

"Because Barcelona always brings us good things."

Yuri hums at that and doesn't discredit his observation. "Barcelona it is, then. Let's set a course."

Otabek then looks down, confused- only to realize that Yuri is talking in his sleep.

_Cymbidium_

Yuri is looking at him weird, and finally it gets to Otabek.

"Yura, is there something wrong?" he asks.

Yuri cocks his head to the side, a cute little wrinkle settling across his brow. "I'm trying to figure it out," he finally says."

"Figure _what_ out?"

"Why girls don't date you. I mean, you're good looking and shit. Rocking muscles, sexy haircut- aren't you like made of the stuff they look for?"

Oh. _Oh_. It wasn't that Otabek never expected to have this conversation, but he never thought Yuri would bring it up so casually. "Women ask me out plenty," Otabek replies finally, rubbing at his neck nervously. "I just- they aren't my type."

Yuri blinks at that. "Wait, are you gay?" A pause, and then, "I mean, that's _super_ not a problem and all that." Otabek releases a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Seriously, it's all good. Also, that dude that you like? Go fucking tell him, or something. I'm tired of carrying along your lonely ass."

Otabek mutters something about it not being that easy.

_Rhododendron_

Yuri hates the question that Otabek asks him.

_Yura, are you afraid of anything?_

How does Yuri explain his biggest fear, is Otabek himself? Any and everything about him- losing him, telling him that he _likes_ him, what his reaction might be...

"Hey, you know how you're like the only person that I remotely tolerate?"

"Hm?" Otabek looks at him over the bike he sits next to. And then, "Yura, is this about what I asked you the other day? Don't worry about it; it was only a question."

"Most people would say _being alone_, right?" Yuri replies, ignoring what Otabek says. "But I guess my fear is more specific. It's losing you. That idea fucking sucks, because you're the only person that means shit to me."

He risks a glance at Otabek, afraid that his words would seem weird but- His heart beats wildly instead, because of the soft look on Otabek's face.

_Tulip_

"Lucky number fifteen," Yuri says with a smile.

"Fifteen? That's a weird number."

Yuri winks at him. "It's how old I was when I met you."

Otabek's heart flutters, and he ignores it. "Yura, you were ten when we met."

"Fucking semantics."

_Gerbera_

Otabek knew the moment Aidana retired from making costumes, he would struggle finding someone else he could trust. And when Yuri tells him that he has a _great_ person that would be _perfect_ for Otabek's style, he knew he should have ignored him.

"Beka, let me see," Yuri pleads, throwing back the fitting room drape with little care. He stops. He looks, his gaze dragging the entire length of his body. "That's uh… _different_," he finally manages.

"The first version was lavender. I told him to make it brighter. _This wasn't what I had in mind_."

And then Yuri wasn't able to hold it any longer. He burst out laughing, nearly falling over. Otabek slaps his hand against his face, pulling at his skin in frustration. He spares a glance in the mirror, wincing at the neon pink and yellow ensemble.

Yeah, next time he shoves Yuri's head in the toilet instead.

_Snapdragon_

"I'm a fucking unicorn, Beka, and you know it."

Otabek smiles, because Yuri was right.

_Hydrangea_

It's probably Yuri's last Olympics.

It's not something that Otabek wants to think about. It was okay when he retired, he _expected_ to retire early into his career. But Yuri? Yuri seems like he'd be able to skate until he's fifty- even if Otabek knows that's not possible.

But it's 2026, and Yuri is twenty-eight. He'll be lucky to eke out another few years in his competitive career, let alone _another Olympics_. Yuri doesn't mention it, but they both know. Otabek _has_ to know, he's his coach. The moment he hung his skates up, Yuri demanded it.

Yuri skates flawlessly, like always. Otabek knows he's in pain. He sees the slight strain in Yuri's muscles, the little twitches of discomfort. He's knows because he watches, he's _always _watching Yuri. As his coach, as his friend, as well as wishing.

They sit in the Kiss-and-Cry. They wait for the final scores, the ones that determine medals. Yuri sits in second, but he delivers one hell of a final performance.

The announcement comes on, and the score is heard. And it's like the stadium is quiet, it's like there's no one there, except for them. He turns to Yuri, who turns to him, and Yuri whoops. He jumps out of his seat, screeching, pulling Otabek with him.

Otabek is proud, this is the _proudest_ moment in his life. Because Yuri smashes a record and will bring home the gold.

Yuri must be proud too, because he dips down and kisses him. It's a surprise. They've danced around this for years, but Yuri finally make his fucking choice.

Fuck the Gold, Otabek thinks, slipping his arms around his neck, pulling Yuri closer.

_Ginger_

"I fucking hate Katsudon," Yuri says.

Otabek regards him with amusement. "Color me surprised," he intones sarcastically. "You seem to have no problem with it anytime you come to Japan." He points to the bowl sitting before him.

"I wasn't talking about the fucking food," Yuri snaps, and Otabek laughs.

_Carnation_

"Hey Beka," Yuri starts. He always starts things like that, with a simple _Hey Beka_. "What do you think about true love?"

He's asked about this before, though they were pretty fucking young. _Years ago_, but Otabek remembers it. He remembers most of the things that Yuri asks.

"What, do I think it exists?" Yuri shrugs. Otabek reaches out and grasps his hand, slipping his fingers between Yuri's. "Obviously."

Yuri isn't the kind of guy to make mad declarations of love- aside from his newsworthy smooch at the Olympics. But he says, "Yeah, obviously."

Otabek smiles, squeezing his hand.

Yuri squeezes back.


End file.
